Founded in 1983 by the late pianist Yvar Mikhashoff, the celebrated festival will run April 12-28 in the Center for the Arts on UB's North Campus, the Burchfield-Penney Art Center at Buffalo State College, and the Marquee at the Tralf.

Robert Chumbley, director of the Center for the Arts, is artistic director of the festival, which will focus on "Music as Theater," showcasing artists and works that incorporate music and theater into their performances, and concerts of modern and contemporary works from Russia and America.

Admission prices range from $5-$12 per event. For tickets and information call the Center for the Arts Box Office at 645-ARTS.

Opening event is the provocative political performance of Dan Hurlin "NO (Thing so Powerful as) TRUTH," a group of solo/theater pieces to be presented April 12 and 13 at 8 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre. The performance is inspired by William Loeb, former owner and publisher of the Manchester, N.H. Union Leader, an ultra-conservative newspaper. Hurlin exposes the harsh reality of the human condition as he shifts roles from innocent child to rotten politician. The piece showcases a musical score composed and performed by Daniel Froot.

Also on April 13, Hallwalls will present Grachan Moncur III with the New Jazz Orchestra of Buffalo at 8 p.m. at Marquee at the Tralf, 100 Theater Place. The internationally known African-American avant-jazz composer and trombonist will present a spicy new work for Hallwalls' 15-piece resident ensemble. Moncur, one of the founding fathers of avant-garde jazz, will perform with and conduct the orchestra.

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra appears April 18 at 5 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Mainstage under the direction of Guest Conductor Gerhardt Zimmermann, presenting contemporary works, all premieres, by Kenneth Frazelle, Alfred Schnittke and Nicholas Maw, the last considered one of Britain's most admired composers.

Guest soloists are Robert Chumbley and Shirley Irek, performing Schnittke's Concerto for one piano, four hands. Chumbley, a sought-after composer and director of the Center for the Arts, will perform as a duo-pianist with his wife, Irek, a leading collaborative pianist who is a visiting professor of piano at UB.

On April 19, the Center for the Arts, in collaboration with the Burchfield-Penney Art Center, will host "A Tribute to Shostakovich." The Russian composer's music represents part of the modern music component of this year's festival. The performance features violinist Lynn Chang, cellist Christopher Costanza, violinist Debra Fong, violist Hsin-Yun Huang, and pianists Shirley Irek, Michael Lewin and Stephen Manes.

Jean Kopperud, a member of the New York New Music Ensemble and a well-known clarinetist, will present Harlekin, an unusual piece by Karlheinz Stockhausen, in which she simultaneously dances and plays clarinet, on April 20 in the Black Box Theatre.

Also on April 20, the Buffalo Guitar Quartet, a pioneer in the field of ensemble guitar performance, plays at 2 p.m. in the Burchfield-Penney Art Center. Members Len Biszkont, Richard Falkenstein, James Piorkowski and John Sawyers will present a program of works by Composers Alliance of Buffalo, including Persis Vehar, William Ortiz, Jeffrey Schanzer and others. The performance is free.

A musical presentation of modern World War II-era music by American composer Aaron Copland will be held April 21 in the Burchfield-Penney Art Center. "A Tribute to Copland" will be performed by Lynn Chang, Christopher Costanza, Robert Chumbley, Debra Fong, Hsin-Yun Huang, Jean Kopperud and Michael Lewin. Presented by the Center for the Arts in collaboration with the Burchfield-Penney Art Center, the program will include Quartet for Piano and Strings; Sonata for Piano; Vitebsk and Sextet for Clarinet, Piano and Strings.

The festival concludes with performances April 27 and 28 with Pick of the Crop Dance performances of Hansel and Gretel, to be given at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. April 27 and at 2 p.m. on April 28 on Mainstage, Center for the Arts. Choreographer Elaine Gardner and composer Curt Steinzor bring new life to this classic Grimm fairy tale by setting it to a new musical score.